Several animal carriers for transporting pets have been previously described (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,852,520; 5,253,612; 6,427,631; and 6,539,895). Such carriers currently come in a variety of shapes, styles, and sizes. For many of these carriers, placing the animal inside can be awkward, if not difficult, for the person handling the animal, and attempts to place the animal into the carrier often results in injury or stress to either the handler or the animal. Thus, there exists a need for an animal carrier having an improved design that makes it easier to place the animal into the carrier.